raki

noun

ra·​ki rə-ˈkē How to pronounce raki (audio)
ˈra-kē,
ˈrä-
: a Turkish liqueur flavored with aniseed

Examples of raki in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Look out for a raki still that looks like an enormous turkey baster, with a bulb made from copper and a long metal nozzle attached. Lisa Morrow, CNN, 31 Jan. 2023 With views of the Galata Tower and tons of indoor/outdoor seating for any weather, Zulu is the perfect place to knock back some raki and watch the sun set. Jessica Roy, ELLE, 20 Jan. 2023 Just off the lobby is the Lingo Lingo Bar and Restaurant that offers a selection of craft cocktails, wines, raki and mezze. Carrie Coolidge, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2023 At Yeni Meyhane in Kadıköy, Ildız pours glass after glass of raki, a grape brandy flavored with anise and diluted with ice. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2022 Turkish beer or raki are the boozy beverages of choice. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2022 Beyond the kebabs, raki, Byzantine churches, and Ottoman mosques, there are also exciting modern developments that will add to the draw for travelers. Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2020 Pre-pandemic, my Friday nights in Istanbul often consisted of sharing mezzes and a bottle of raki at a Bosphorus meyhane (tavern), chased with dancing in a stuffy, windowless club. Jenna Scatena, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 June 2020 The same for Taksim Square, a ghostly memory of its mezzes-eating and raki-drinking past. Kahli Hindmarsh, National Geographic, 5 May 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'raki.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Turkish, from Arabic 'araqī, literally, of liquor, from 'araq liquor, arrack

First Known Use

circa 1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of raki was circa 1613

Dictionary Entries Near raki

Cite this Entry

“Raki.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raki. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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